British Library Trip

On Thursday 9th February, nearly seventy Year 10 Latin students from two of our London schools attended the exhibit at the British Library, Alexander the Great: the Making of a Myth.

A group of students outside the exhibition

The impact of Alexander the Great extended far beyond the two-million-square-mile empire he briefly created from Greece to India. In antiquity and across the Middle Ages, legends about him developed both within this region (Egypt, Jerusalem, Persia) and beyond (China, Russia, Ethiopia, Britain).

‘The fact that Alexander had managed to conquer and be loved by so many truly portrays the intelligence and power of mankind.’

Leya, Pimlico Academy

The life and legend of Alexander forms a key part of the end of our Key Stage 3 Latin curriculum and students were able to see actual coins, inscriptions and texts they had studied beforehand in the classroom.

‘If I told everyone in my year how good this is, I don’t think they would believe it.’

Sarah, Phoenix Academy

Students said there was ‘lots to learn and discover’, particularly the legends about Alexander’s parentage and death, and his presence in important texts beyond the Classical world such as the Quran.

 ‘I would like to thank my Latin teacher, Mr Adelani, twice for having us on this wonderful trip, the first we have been on since Year 7.’

Abdi, Pimlico Academy